I know this maybe a crazy question, but I'm curious as to what everyone think.

I currently have Kaspersky for Parallel installed on my Mac, I was wondering if it will cause problem if I install Intego Internet Security Barrier X6 so I can protect the Mac OS since it appeared Intego is a much better product. Is it better to use Intego to protect both the Mac and Windows environment instead of having Intego on one and Kaspersky on another OS?

You do not need any antivirus apps for OSx. The available ones can even make your system less secure and they slow down the system and find nothing since there are no OSx viruses. Antivirus is fine for Windows under virtualization.

As has been stated, OS X doesn't usually required AV if you are reasonable safe. If you are sharing Mac files, or worse yet, filesystems with windows you could experience data corruption in Mac files if you get malware on the a Windows partition/VM with Mac OS X access. Thats not likely but possible.

I know this maybe a crazy question, but I'm curious as to what everyone think.

I currently have Kaspersky for Parallel installed on my Mac, I was wondering if it will cause problem if I install Intego Internet Security Barrier X6 so I can protect the Mac OS since it appeared Intego is a much better product. Is it better to use Intego to protect both the Mac and Windows environment instead of having Intego on one and Kaspersky on another OS?

Any insight into this will be greatly appreciated.

No Windows malware can run on Mac OS X. You don't need 3rd party antivirus software to protect your Mac, as long as you practice safe computing. Macs are not immune to malware, but no true viruses exist in the wild that can run on Mac OS X, and there never have been any since it was released over 10 years ago. The only malware in the wild that can affect Mac OS X is a handful of trojans, which can be easily avoided by practicing safe computing (see below). Also, Mac OS X 10.6 and later versions have anti-malware protection built in, further reducing the need for 3rd party antivirus apps.

Disable Java in your browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox). This will protect you from malware that exploits Java in your browser, including the recent Flashback trojan. Leave Java disabled until you visit a trusted site that requires it, then re-enable only for the duration of your visit to that site. (This is not to be confused with JavaScript, which you should leave enabled.)

For added security, make sure all network, email, financial and other important passwords are long and complex, including upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters.

Always keep your Mac and application software updated. Use Software Update for your Mac software. For other software, it's safer to get updates from the developer's site or from the menu item "Check for updates", rather than installing from any notification window that pops up while you're surfing the web.

That's all you need to do to keep your Mac completely free of any Mac OS X malware that has ever been released into the wild. While you may elect to use it, 3rd party antivirus software is not required to keep your Mac malware-free.

No Windows malware can run on Mac OS X. You don't need 3rd party antivirus software to protect your Mac, as long as you practice safe computing. Macs are not immune to malware, but no true viruses exist in the wild that can run on Mac OS X, and there never have been any since it was released over 10 years ago. The only malware in the wild that can affect Mac OS X is a handful of trojans, which can be easily avoided by practicing safe computing (see below). Also, Mac OS X 10.6 and later versions have anti-malware protection built in, further reducing the need for 3rd party antivirus apps.

Disable Java in your browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox). This will protect you from malware that exploits Java in your browser, including the recent Flashback trojan. Leave Java disabled until you visit a trusted site that requires it, then re-enable only for the duration of your visit to that site. (This is not to be confused with JavaScript, which you should leave enabled.)

For added security, make sure all network, email, financial and other important passwords are long and complex, including upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters.

Always keep your Mac and application software updated. Use Software Update for your Mac software. For other software, it's safer to get updates from the developer's site or from the menu item "Check for updates", rather than installing from any notification window that pops up while you're surfing the web.

That's all you need to do to keep your Mac completely free of any Mac OS X malware that has ever been released into the wild. While you may elect to use it, 3rd party antivirus software is not required to keep your Mac malware-free.

GGJstudios, thank you so much for your advice, this is extremely helpful. I do have one question about changing my DNS server to the OpenDNS server. Since I connect my Mac to my wireless router at home, I assumed the change will be made in the router since I point my DNS to my wireless router. Also, where exactly do I disable Java in Chrome and Safari, not really familiar with Java and don't want to disable the wrong thing. Thanks.

GGJstudios, thank you so much for your advice, this is extremely helpful. I do have one question about changing my DNS server to the OpenDNS server. Since I connect my Mac to my wireless router at home, I assumed the change will be made in the router since I point my DNS to my wireless router.

You should use OpenDNS servers in both your computer(s) and your router.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tightwad1027

Also, where exactly do I disable Java in Chrome and Safari, not really familiar with Java and don't want to disable the wrong thing. Thanks.

The links I posted in item #3 give detailed instructions on how to disable Java in various browsers.

However, there are some people that just can't be connected to the net bareback (without AV), especially those who are recently coming from a Windows environment.

It took me a while to get used to life without AV but if you just have to have something to make you feel better then run along and grab ClamXav. It's free (donation ware), can be run passively or actively and is very resource friendly.

The advice from GGJstudios is very compelling. I do apply "safe computing" practices when using my new iMac. A large dollop of common sense really.

However, my household has a mix of Windows laptops and the iMac. I need AV for the Windows devices. And I can't guarantee that when I'm out that another family member won't do something that may pose a risk, unintentionally, to either environment. Kids do that, even though I have educated them on the same "safe computing" practices.

So I installed Kaspersky One on everything and, to be honest, it seems to work well. I've noticed no impact on performance on my iMac or Windows laptops as a result of installing it.

If I was in a Mac only household, with no other users, I would just follow the advice from GGJstudios. But I'm not so I'm fine with paying that little bit more to get an additional layer of security, using a consistent interface, across the Windows and Mac. And I accept that that's all it is, am additional layer of security, not a guarantee.

Do you use ClamXav? What options do you advice to turn on (preferences)?

No, I don't use any antivirus app, as none are needed to protect my Mac from malware.

ClamXav has a Sentry feature which, if enabled, will use significant system resources to constantly scan. Disable the Sentry feature. You don't need it. Also, when you first install ClamXav, as with many antivirus apps, it may perform an initial full system scan, which will consume resources. Once the initial scan is complete, periodic on-demand scans will have much lower demands on resources.